Hotels Flock to Turkey

PHOTO: A new Doubletree has opened in Izmir, Turkey’s third largest city. (Courtesy of DoubleTree)

With 35 million visitors in 2013, Turkish tourism continues to set new records. As the world’s sixth most popular tourist destination and the world’s 18^th largest economy, it’s not surprising that Turkey’s hotel sector is responding with an equal investment. The Turkish hotel inventory is growing in quality, quantity and diversity.

Such international brands as St. Regis, Four Seasons and Mandarin Oriental are opening new properties this year and Hilton, which has been invested in Turkey since 1955 when it opened the Hilton Istanbul Bosphorus just off Taksim Square across from the offices for Pan Am and American Express.

Hilton continued to add to that original stake and in the last few years has really been planting its flag all over the country at a rate that hasn’t slowed this year and looks to be maintained in the future. In January, Istanbul's largest hotel and conference center, the 829-room Hilton Istanbul Bomonti Hotel & Conference Center, opened in the Sisli district of the city.

The 126-room Hilton Garden Inn Istanbul Beylikduzu, set in a mixed-use space in one of Western Istanbul's fastest growing suburbs, is slated to open in 2015, and will feature an indoor pool and five meeting rooms; and a 170-room Hampton-by-Hilton Istanbul Dolapdere in central Istanbul is set to open in 2016.

PHOTO: The Hilton Istanbul Bosphorus opened off Taksim Square in 1955, pioneering luxury hospitality in Turkey. (Courtesy of Hilton Hotels & Resorts)

The new 200-room Hilton Antakya is located near the Church of St. Peter as part of a new site that will also include an archaeological museum. Antakya, more familiarly known as Antioch in the West, is where the first Christians came together. The Church of St. Peter is literally connected to the caves where St. Peter preached. The hotel will have a spa, indoor and outdoor pools and 4,100 square feet of meeting space.

The 115-room DoubleTree by Hilton Izmir – Alsancak recently opened in Turkey’s third most populous city. The 21-story hotel recently underwent a refurbishment program and is known for its rooftop pool and bar, providing views over Izmir’s city center and the Aegean Sea. The hotel features a traditional Turkish bath, a spa and fitness center. Izmir is an attractive seaside city with a fine promenade known for great seafood restaurants.

 Izmir’s Alsancak district is within walking distance of Izmir’s many visitor sights, including its historic clock tower in Konak Square and the Kemeralti Bazaar. “Turkey is growing as a global holiday and business destination, attracting more than 34 million visitors in 2013 alone,” said Simon Vincent, president, EMEA, Hilton Worldwide. The refurbishment of the hotel added events spaces including a 350 square meter ballroom. And opening in 2016, the 182-room Hilton Garden Inn Izmir Bayrakli will be located just north of the city's port and central district,

The DoubleTree by Hilton brand is newcomer to another important Turkish city, Malatya. The 202-room DoubleTree by Hilton Malatya is located in a new 18-story building in Malatya’s central business district. The hotel features a spa and health club including a 24-hour fitness center, two massage rooms, steam room, sauna, Turkish bath, sun terrace, as well as an indoor pool, guests will be able to completely relax in the hotel’s tranquil surroundings. The hotel isn’t too far from iconic Mount Nemrut, A UNESCO World Heritage site, the Aslantepe Ruins and Malatya Castle. The hotel is well-connected to the wider Anatolian region via highways and railways.

Other Brands, Other Plans

It’s not only Hilton that’s getting in on the act. Bodrum, a town at the end of a beautiful peninsula that juts into the Mediterranean, has over the last 30 years gone from a Bohemian beach resort for the Culturati of Istanbul to a high end yacht resort for the uber rich. The new 109-room Mandarin Oriental, Bodrum fits right in with the city’s current profile. The resort sprawls across a series of tiers on 109 hectares of landscaped hillside, surrounded by olive groves and pines on the northern side of the peninsula, at Cennet Koyu (Paradise Bay).

PHOTO: The new Mandarin Oriental in Bodrum occupies an idyllic hillside on the historic peninsula. (Courtesy of Mandarin Oriental)

The spacious view echoes the resort’s spacious rooms. The Sea View Rooms and Mediterranean Suites have the most spacious accommodation on the peninsula, ranging from 72 to 145 square meters, and are flooded with natural light. Most rooms have terraces with private dining areas and sundecks. In addition, each suite features a plunge pool and outdoor shower set in private gardens with views over the Aegean Sea.

The resort features 10 restaurants and bars as well as a 2,700 square meter Spa. The hotel is offering an opening three-night package, the Discover Paradise Bay opening includes a guestroom, suite or villa; and a daily dining or spa credit of €150 per room, or €300 per one bedroom suite or villa. The offer is valid through Dec. 31 at rates start from €595.

Still More Openings

The 118-room St. Regis Istanbul originally planned to open this summer in the Nisantasi neighborhood on the European side of the city is now eyeing a February opening. The 210-room Fairmont Istanbul, slated to open in 2016, will be part of the Quasar Istanbul complex, a new mixed-use development in the Sisli district.

Two 41-story towers will include a Fairmont Hotel and Fairmont Residences as well as Quasar Residences and offices. The 249-room Radisson Blu Conference & Spa Hotel, Istanbul Tuzla is Carlson Rezidor's 7th Istanbul hotel property, opened in January. The hotel offers 10,800 square feet of meeting facilities, indoor and outdoor pools, a wellness area with sauna, Hamam and massage facilities and a tennis court.

A new Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts property is slated to open in 2016 in Cesme, near Alacati, a seaside town, located on the coast of Turkey's Izmir province. The 176-room Ramada Encore Izmir which opened in late 2013 is the first of 30 planned Ramada Encore properties to be developed in Turkey over the next ten years. Later this year, Sheraton Samsun Hotel will be the first international five-star hotel in the emerging Black Sea business city of Samsun and Starwood’s 11th hotel in Turkey. The 29-story 220-room hotel will be the largest hotel and the tallest building in Samsun.